Disaster zones typically feature unlevel ground, which makes it even more challenging to prepare housing relief quickly. But Shigeru Ban’s shipping containers stacked on top of each other in a checkerboard pattern can go anywhere. Attractive and colorful enough to outwit the fatigue associated with disasters, the multistorey complex generates a good amount of housing in no time.

Rather than being suffocating, there are gaps between the houses, and the interiors look so compact, fresh, and practical that their occupants might even decide to stay on for a while. Though this is a great design that has widespread application, we’d be interested to know more about the proposed lighting and cooling techniques.